Bridge Pa
Encyclopedia
Bridge Pā is a rural Māori settlement and surrounding area in Hawke's Bay
, New Zealand
, located approximately 10 kilometres inland from Hastings
. The pā itself comprises approximately 70 households, a school, a meetinghouse of the LDS Church, two marae (Korongata Marae and Mangaroa Marae), a cemetery and a disused quarry. The surrounding area includes Hastings Aerodrome
, two golf clubs, a car club, and a Deer Stalkers hall. As well as the main settlement centred on the intersection of Maraekakaho Road and Raukawa Road, a satellite settlement is located on Ngatarawa Road (near the Valentine Road corner) and on State Highway 50 (near the corner with Maraekakaho Road in the shadow of Roy's Hill). A relatively large tract of the surrounding rural area (up to 5 km from the pā) is also classified as Bridge Pā by local authorities and Telecom's
White Pages.
is located nearby, just outside the settlement.
and Kawekas
to intercept the prevailing westerly winds, the region enjoys a Mediterranean climate with around 2350 sunshine hours per annum and very low humidity.
, Syrah, Chardonnay
and Sauvignon Blanc
. In ancient times the area was blanketed by the pumice tephra
of numerous Taupo
volcanic events. Much of the Triangle area covers the historical (pre-1860s earthquake) riverbed of the nearby Ngaruroro River
. As such soil types include Ngatarawa Gravels, Takapau Silty-loam (free draining red metal of mixed alluvial and volcanic origin) and shallow clay-loam soils with underlying deep free draining pumice. Wineries that produce wine in this area include:
Alwyn Corban and Garry Glazebrook of Ngatarawa Wines pioneered wine production in the area in the 1980s and it is only with the growth of other boutique wineries in the late 1990s that the "Bridge Pa Triangle" has been delineated and named. The area is also sometimes described as The Maraekakaho Triangle and The Ngatarawa Triangle. Bordering Ngatarawa Road and to the north of the area along State Highway 50 is the world famous Gimblett Gravels wine growing area.
Hawke's Bay
Hawke's Bay is a region of New Zealand. Hawke's Bay is recognised on the world stage for its award-winning wines. The regional council sits in both the cities of Napier and Hastings.-Geography:...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, located approximately 10 kilometres inland from Hastings
Hastings, New Zealand
The city of Hastings is a major urban settlement in the Hawke's Bay region of the North Island of New Zealand, and it is the largest settlement by population in Hawke's Bay. Hastings city is the administrative centre of the Hastings District...
. The pā itself comprises approximately 70 households, a school, a meetinghouse of the LDS Church, two marae (Korongata Marae and Mangaroa Marae), a cemetery and a disused quarry. The surrounding area includes Hastings Aerodrome
Hastings Aerodrome
Hastings Aerodrome is a small airport located in Hastings, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand. It is sometimes referred to as Bridge Pa Aerodrome. It is owned and operated by the Hawke's Bay & East Coast Aero Club Inc....
, two golf clubs, a car club, and a Deer Stalkers hall. As well as the main settlement centred on the intersection of Maraekakaho Road and Raukawa Road, a satellite settlement is located on Ngatarawa Road (near the Valentine Road corner) and on State Highway 50 (near the corner with Maraekakaho Road in the shadow of Roy's Hill). A relatively large tract of the surrounding rural area (up to 5 km from the pā) is also classified as Bridge Pā by local authorities and Telecom's
Telecom New Zealand
Telecom New Zealand is a New Zealand-wide communications service provider , providing fixed line telephone services, a mobile network, an internet service provider , a major ICT provider to NZ businesses , and a wholesale network infrastructure provider to other NZ CSPs...
White Pages.
Infrastructure
The main road through the town is limited to 50 km/h and traffic is slowed through a variety of traffic calming measures. There is no sewerage.There is metropolitan style water reticulation. Wastewater is treated via individual homeowner septic tanks. Hastings AerodromeHastings Aerodrome
Hastings Aerodrome is a small airport located in Hastings, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand. It is sometimes referred to as Bridge Pa Aerodrome. It is owned and operated by the Hawke's Bay & East Coast Aero Club Inc....
is located nearby, just outside the settlement.
Geography
Bridge Pā is situated on flat land on the Heretaunga Plains with the major geographical feature of the township being the Karewarewa Stream. Located on the edge of an unconfined aquifer, the surrounding land is free-draining and is used for sheep grazing, horticulture and wine production.History
On the 4th of January 2008, Bridge Pa suffered from an earthquake measuring 6.4 on the Richter scale. The earthguake struck at 11:34 pm and caused minor damage to Bridge Pa, Hastings, Flaxmere, Havelock North, Taradale and caused no damage to Clive and/or Napier.Climate
The attractive rural setting experiences between -3°C frosts in winter (usually clearing to clear crisp days) to 40°C heat in late summer. Bridge Pā is approximately 20 km from the coast, and with the central North Island mountain ranges of the RuahinesRuahine Range
The Ruahine Range is one of several mountain ranges in the North Island of New Zealand which form a ridge running parallel with the east coast of the island between East Cape and Wellington....
and Kawekas
Kaweka Range
The Kaweka Range of mountains is located in inland Hawke's Bay in the eastern North Island of New Zealand. It forms part of the mountainous spine of the North Island which runs from Wellington to East Cape, including the Tararua and Ruahine ranges.The range lies between the city of Napier, to the...
to intercept the prevailing westerly winds, the region enjoys a Mediterranean climate with around 2350 sunshine hours per annum and very low humidity.
Bridge Pa Triangle
Bridge Pa Triangle is a grape growing area roughly delineated by three roads: Ngatarawa Road, State Highway 50 and Maraekakaho Road. It is recognised as a premium wine growing area in the Hawke’s Bay region. Wines grown include MerlotMerlot
Merlot is a darkly blue-coloured wine grape, that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. The name Merlot is thought to derive from the Old French word for young blackbird, merlot, a diminutive of merle, the blackbird , probably from the color of the grape. Merlot-based wines...
, Syrah, Chardonnay
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. It is originated from the Burgundy wine region of eastern France but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand...
and Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon blanc
Sauvignon Blanc is a green-skinned grape variety which originates from the Bordeaux region of France. The grape most likely gets its name from the French word sauvage and blanc due to its early origins as an indigenous grape in South West France., a possible descendant of savagnin...
. In ancient times the area was blanketed by the pumice tephra
Tephra
200px|thumb|right|Tephra horizons in south-central [[Iceland]]. The thick and light coloured layer at center of the photo is [[rhyolitic]] tephra from [[Hekla]]....
of numerous Taupo
Lake Taupo
Lake Taupo is a lake situated in the North Island of New Zealand. With a surface area of , it is the largest lake by surface area in New Zealand, and the second largest freshwater lake by surface area in geopolitical Oceania after Lake Murray ....
volcanic events. Much of the Triangle area covers the historical (pre-1860s earthquake) riverbed of the nearby Ngaruroro River
Ngaruroro River
The Ngaruroro River is located in the eastern North Island of New Zealand. It runs for a total of 100 kilometres, southeast from the Kaweka Range and then east before emptying into Hawke Bay 10 kilometres south of Napier, near the town of Clive....
. As such soil types include Ngatarawa Gravels, Takapau Silty-loam (free draining red metal of mixed alluvial and volcanic origin) and shallow clay-loam soils with underlying deep free draining pumice. Wineries that produce wine in this area include:
- Ngatarawa Wines
- Alpha Dolmus
- Sileni Estates
- Red Metal Vineyards
- Huthlee Estate
- Bridge Pā Vineyard
- Mundo Vira Vineyard
- Shepherds Croft
- Ash Ridge Wines Vineyard
Alwyn Corban and Garry Glazebrook of Ngatarawa Wines pioneered wine production in the area in the 1980s and it is only with the growth of other boutique wineries in the late 1990s that the "Bridge Pa Triangle" has been delineated and named. The area is also sometimes described as The Maraekakaho Triangle and The Ngatarawa Triangle. Bordering Ngatarawa Road and to the north of the area along State Highway 50 is the world famous Gimblett Gravels wine growing area.
Famous natives
- George NepiaGeorge NepiaGeorge Nepia was a Māori rugby union and rugby league player. He is remembered as an exceptional full-back and one of the most famous Māori rugby players. He was inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame in 1990. In 2004 he was selected as number 65 by the panel of the New Zealand's Top...
- All Black Fullback 1920s - '30s Invincibles (attended Maori Agricultural College) - Charlene Otene (nee Wainohu) - Tall Fern, Silver Fern
- Kevin TamatiKevin TamatiKevin Ronald Tamati is a New Zealander former professional rugby league footballer and coach who played for his country and played professionally for Widnes and Warrington in the Forwards...
- Kiwi Rugby League - Jack Maere - Tall Blacks
- Caroline Evers-SwindellCaroline Evers-SwindellCaroline Meyer formerly known as Caroline Evers-Swindell is a former New Zealand rower. She is 179 cm tall and 80kg. She competed in the double sculls with her identical twin sister Georgina Earl...
- Olympic Rowing Gold Medalist - Georgina Evers-SwindellGeorgina Evers-SwindellGeorgina Earl, formerly known as Georgina Evers-Swindell is a former New Zealand rower. She competed in the double sculls with her identical twin sister Caroline Meyer, and is a double Olympic gold medalist, having won at Athens in 2004 and Beijing in 2008...
- Olympic Rowing Gold Medalist, Indoor Rowing World Record Holder - Peter Lyons - New Zealand Gliding champion
- Taine Randell - [All Black] Loose Forward 1996 - 2002
Local Businesses & Institutions
- Hawke's Bay Car Club
- Hastings Branch Deer Stalkers NZDA
- Bridge Pa Aerodrome
- Hawke's Bay & East Coast Aero Club
- Air Hawke's Bay (Air Academy Hastings)
- New Zealand Aerial Mapping
- Heli Air Hawke's Bay
- Helicopters Hawke's Bay Ltd
- Skyline Helicopters Limited
- Hawke's Bay Gliding Club
- Skydive Bridge Pa
- Bridge Pā Golf Club
- Hawke's Bay Golf Club
- Ngatarawa Wines
- Sileni Estates
- Mundo Vira Vineyard
- Ash Ridge Wines
- Cardoness Lodge
- Early Morning Balloons
- On Yer Bike Winery Tours
- Olea Cottages
- St Iwes Strawberry Farm, Rosser Rd
- Hawke's Bay Prison (Mangaroa Prison)
- Mangaroa Marae
- Korongata Marae (Te Kohanga Reo O-Korongata)
- Bridge Pā Primary School (48 pupils, 5 Teachers)
- Kamaka Pottery - Japanese style anagama pottery kiln